The present invention relates to a joystick switch, a device for generating signals for x-y directional control responsive to pivotal movement of an elongate handle.
Joystick switches are currently enjoying popularity as x-y directional control switches in electronic games found both in commercial environments and in the home in conjunction with television sets. Joystick switches of the prior art generally employ ball and socket type joints and individual switches which are actuated by one end of the joystick in response to movement of the handle end of the stick by the operator's hand. Cam tracks are often employed to direct the end of the joystick to the desired switch and metal springs are often employed to effect return of the handle. Known joystick assembly schemes are often complex in structure and time-consuming and expensive to manufacture. U.S. Pat. No. 3,898,397 discloses a simplified joystick having a shaft mounted through an elastomeric member in a face plate mounted on an open end of the housing. Pivoting the shaft causes a contact plate fixed on the inner end of the shaft to bridge between a central contact and at least one of a plurality of contacts mounted on the inner surface of the housing.